I'm not in the program but my friend is and she really likes it. She's a first year. I have, however, worked with a couple of the faculty members at workshops and have had extremely great experiences in that setting. I also was fortunate enough to enroll in a creative writing class at a local community college when Laura Kasischke was teaching. She was a wonderful instructor. I've heard mostly good things.

This is probably late info, since their deadline's already passed, but rumor has it there'll be two new poetry hires in the next several years. Since it's a two year program, this may not make a difference for anyone accepted this spring..

Michigan's great. From what I can tell, it's a tight-knit program. Good funding, lots of events, and the Hopwood awards are nice. I got a *lot* out of working with Thylias Moss. And Anne Carson teaches classes outside of the Classics dept once in a while...I found her a little distant at first (especially compared to Thylias), but was very glad to have the chance to work w/ her...and I ended up getting alot more out of her class (Essay Writing for Poets) than I first anticipated.

Of course, if you're not studying poetry, this information probably isn't very helpful.

(Just for clarification, I was in Michigan's undergraduate CW "subcon" program.)

Anyone willing to share thoughts on the joy of being surrounded by producers of high quality work, but also feeling kind of like a fraud since your own measly stories are way mediocre until they've reached the fifth draft or their first birthday? I was looking last night at the alumni publication record, and it is kind of intimidating. I picture myslef being laughed off the table and/or eaten, wolf-pack like, by other workshoppers.

Hey all, Congrats to those of you who've been accepted to Michigan! I'm currently in my last semester of the poetry program, so if anyone has any questions on the program, feel free to post them here or to contact me and I'll do my best to answer what I can!

Hey, has anyone accepted their Michigan offer yet? I know it's early, but I was curious, especially because I don't know of a better financial package (not including Cornell and Michner) But still - I'm waiting on 10 other schools, but 98 percent sure I'm going to Michigan. The only other school I would have considered was UVA because I love Deborah Eisenberg , but now I hear she'll actuall be at Michigan for the fall as a writer in residence, and truthfullly I don't think I'm getting into UVA anytime soon. So if anyone is going let's chat, I'm looking for plane tickets for their Welcome Weekend in March.

Also, this is a question for Sayra, what's the typical schedule look like for a first year at Michigan - course load- grading- and such?

Hi mpagan. I am in the same boat as you. A very happy boat! I think I'm going to wait on Texas before I accept Michigan but I think Michigan might be a better fit for me anyway. Lets chat off the board. I'll PM you. I'm in for Fiction btw.

If there are any other Michigan people out there please feel free to PM me.

So typically a first year is two courses a semester (6 credits for the workshop, which is once a week for three hours, and then another 3 credit course, be it a craft course, a lit course, or a course from another department. The first semester the workshop is 1st and 2nd years together, half of each cohort; the second semester it's just your year, which is lots of fun. I don't know graderships that well, but typically they're just grading papers and holding office hours for one class, so it kind of depends on the course and what's do when as to how much time they eat up, but they're not too bad at all, and good practice for when you teach the next year.

Gosh.. Mine hasnít changed yet.. Pensive, here we go again... This time Jim Beam, I suppose? Because if we drink Jack every time we get rejected this year, next year "No money for old rejects for new applications"...

My status on the Michigan site hasn't changed either. I'm so glad it's freezing and miserable outside...it just reminds me that it would be so much worse up there. A little silver lining to what I assume will be a rejection.

Has anyone on the waitlist received a letter by regular post? The e-mail made it seem like we'd be getting a hard copy of that same letter (going by the reference to a postcard that wasn't attached to my e-mail).

And who's out there waiting for poetry? It seems like everyone is for fiction.

And what's your address? And could you leave your back door open at night?

Since they don't tell us where we are on the waitlist, I'll have to take you all out.... just sayin

Hey Slackaye--I was wait listed at Michigan for fiction and received my hard copy of the letter about a week ago. If you haven't received yours yet, maybe you should just respond to the email and say you want to stay on the list?

Yeah, thanks for the heads up. Incidentally, I did send an e-mail a few days back. Nothing for it now but the waiting, hoping, and praying that everyone ahead gets into a top choice that isn't Michigan. Fingers crossed for all you fellow waitlisters.

Wash U was my first choice, despite the fact that all of the other 7 schools I applied to were "big name" as per your apparent definition. I was rejected by Wash U. You can understand, I'm sure, why your disappointment is ridiculous to me.